Birthplace of House music should be historical landmark, Chicago nonprofit says

DJ Frankie Knuckles
DJ Frankie Knuckles, shown here in 2007, is known as the Godfather of House music. Chicago preservationists hope the nightclub he often performed in can be designated as a historical landmark. Photo credit Claire Greenway/Getty Images

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — DJ Frankie Knuckles is known as the Godfather of House music.

In the late 1970s, he was often seen behind the turntables at Warehouse; a three-story industrial nightclub in Chicago’s West Loop.

Although the building, located at 206 S. Jefferson St., was sold in December 2022 with the potential for demolition and new development, its fate remains uncertain.

That’s why Preservation Chicago created an online petition for the City of Chicago to designate the former Warehouse nightclub as a historical landmark.

“The Warehouse should be protected as a symbol of the rich history of Chicago’s gay and Black communities, the incredible story of house music, and the groundbreaking impact that DJ Frankie Knuckles had on the sound of modern music across the world,” organizers wrote.

Preservation Chicago said a landmark designation would fully protect the building against demolition and inappropriate alteration.

So far, the petition has more than 9,000 signatures.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Claire Greenway/Getty Images